A devastating fire tore through the bustling market of Jazo town, 20 kilometres east of Al-Maliha in North Darfur, on Saturday, leaving behind widespread destruction and despair.
Eyewitnesses said the inferno erupted suddenly from an unknown source, devouring stalls, grain mills, and storage shops as flames raged across the marketplace.
“The fire spread so fast that people had no time to save their goods,” said Al-Samani Ibrahim, a local resident who watched helplessly as the market burned.
He appealed to national and international organisations to provide urgent shelter and assistance, warning that the market’s destruction has crippled a vital hub serving thousands of displaced families from Al-Maliha and Al-Fasher.
A trader described the losses as “immeasurable,” saying no official damage assessment has yet been made, though the destruction appears total.
He noted that the Jazo market played a crucial role in the region’s economy, receiving goods from Al-Daba in the Northern State for distribution across surrounding villages and communities.
Local residents now face worsening hardship, with many left without livelihoods as winter looms and basic supplies run dangerously low.
“The people need urgent humanitarian support — food, shelter, and clothing — before the cold season arrives,” the trader added, his voice heavy with exhaustion.
The Jazo area, lying between North Darfur’s desert fringes and the border with the Northern State, has long been a lifeline for traders and displaced people seeking stability in a region scarred by conflict.
As smoke still rises from the ashes of what was once a thriving market, residents now wait anxiously for help — their hopes resting on the mercy of distant aid.
